Definition
Banded iron formation are distinctive units of sedimentary rock that are almost always of Precambrian age
A hydration and metamorphic transformation of ultramafic rock from the Earth's mantle is called as serpentinization, a group of minerals is formed by serpentinization compose rock 'serpentinite'.
Origin
Western Australia, Minnesota
USA
Discoverer
Unknown
Unknown
Etymology
From its formation process
From English word serpentinization.
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Texture
Banded, Trellis
Earthy
Color
Red, Reddish Brown
Black, Brown, Colourless, Green, Grey, White
Durability
Durable
Durable
Appearance
Layered, Banded, Veined and Shiny
Rough and Dull
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Homes
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
Paving Stone, Office Buildings
As Building Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing, Whetstones
Curbing
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Used for flooring, stair treads, borders and window sills.
As Dimension Stone, Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Not Yet Used
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture
Commercial Uses
As a touchstone, Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork
Commemorative Tablets, Creating Artwork
Types
Algoma-type , Lake Superior-type, Superior-type and Taconite
Jadeitite
Features
Is one of the oldest rock
Host Rock for Lead
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Monuments
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Sculpture
Not Yet Used
Used
Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable
Data Not Available
Pictographs
Not Used
Used
Petroglyphs
Not Used
Used
Figurines
Not Yet Used
Used
Formation
The banded iron layers are formed in sea water when oxygen is released by photosynthetic cyano-bacteria. The oxygen then combines with dissolved iron in ocean to form insoluble iron oxides, which precipitated out, forming a thin layer of banded iron formation on ocean floor.
Due to change in environmental conditions, rocks are heated and pressurized deep inside the Earth's surface. Serpentinite is formed from the extreme heat caused by magma or by the intense collisions and friction of tectonic plates.
Mineral Content
Hematite, Magnetite, Quartz
Carbonate, Magnetite, Pyrrhotite, Serpentine, Sulfides
Compound Content
Fe, Iron(III) Oxide, Silicon Dioxide
Ca, CaO, Carbon Dioxide, KCl, MgO, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulphur
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Hydrothermal Metamorphism, Impact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Chemical Weathering
Not Applicable
Types of Erosion
Coastal Erosion, Wind Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion, Sea Erosion, Wind Erosion
Grain Size
Large and Coarse Grained
Very fine-grained
Fracture
Uneven, Splintery or Conchoidal
Uneven
Streak
White
White, Greenish White or Grey
Porosity
Highly Porous
Less Porous
Luster
Earthy
Waxy and Dull
Compressive Strength
Not Available
Cleavage
Imperfect
Irregular
Specific Gravity
5.0-5.3
2.79-3
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Opaque
Density
Not Available
2.5-3 g/cm3
Resistance
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, India, Iran, Iraq, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
India, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea
Africa
Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania
Ethiopia, Western Africa
Europe
Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
England, Georgia, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Others
Greenland, Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, Mexico, USA
Canada
South America
Bolivia, Brazil
Colombia
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia
Central Australia, New South Wales, New Zealand, Western Australia